Blaze destroys home, business on LaPlanche Street

An early morning fire destroyed this LaPlanche Street home on Saturday. One man was displaced by the blaze, which is under investigation by fire officials.

AMHERST - One man was displaced after an early Saturday morning fire destroyed a LaPlanche Street home in Amherst.

The Amherst Fire Department responded to the fire just before 3 a.m. According to a source, police discovered the fire. From there, they alerted the fire department, waking up the neighbours before it spread.

It's believed the blaze started in a vacant structure and spread to the older two-storey home where the man lived upstairs and operated a business on the ground floor.

"It's a sad thing for all of the people affected by it," stated Ryan Beattie, the man displaced by the fire. "All of the hard work that people put it into fixing it (the building) up. It's a damn sin."

For the past year, Beattie ran Hairstyles by Ryan out of 44 LaPlance Street. He has in been in business for about five years now, and says that his clients will also be affected the fire.

"This fire affects a lot of other people besides the five or six people directly affected by it," stated Beattie. "I have a number of clients who won't be able to have their hair cut by me."

Beattie was not injured and is staying with relatives for now while waiting for damage to be assessed by insurers. Canadian Red Cross disaster volunteers were on scene and offered assistance.

"So far, other than some water damage, a lot structural damage and the smell, it does not look like there was a lot of damage to my things," stated Beattie. "The Amherst Fire Department did a great job. I'm glad everyone is safe and is still alive. Hopefully, they will be able to get some help. I've got friends and family helping me out."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"We are a proud community," stated Beattie.

With Files From Dan Bedell, Atlantic Communications Director of The Canadian Red Cross